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JOSEPH LAWREN, 


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CONTEMPORARY AMERICAN ARTISTS: 


General Editor: JOSEPH LAWREN 


mOTWN WENGER 


By CARLO de FORNARO 


JOHN WENGER 


“JAZZ,” Ziegfeld Follies, 1924, Sketch for Curtain, New Amsterdam Theatre, 
New York. 


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By 
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NEW YORK 
JOSEPH LAWREN 


PUBLISHER 


Copyright 1925, by 
JOHN WENGER 


Permission must be obtained from 
Mr. John Wenger for the use of the 
designs in this volume for stage 


presentation. 


ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ARE DUE 


RIVOLI THEATRE 

CAPITOL THEATRE 
METROPOLITAN OPERA HOUSE 
FLORENZ ZIEGFELD Jr. 
GEORGE BACKER 

ED WYNN 

BERTHA KALISH 

GEORGE WHITE 

THE SELWYNS 


Photographs by 


FRANCIS BRUGUIERE 
A. E. SPRAUL 
WHITE STUDIOS 


One Thousand Copies 
Manufactured in the 


United States of America 
1925. 


eles OF PISA TES 


“Jazz” Ziegfeld Follies, 1924, Sketch for Curtain, New Amsterdam 
Theatre, New York Frontispiece 

Carnival. Panel. 

Opening Scene of “‘George White’s Scandals 1922.” Sketch for 
Stage Setting. Globe Theatre, New York. 

Circus. Study for a Curtain. 

Cadenza. Screen. 

Dance Macabre by C. Saint-Saens. Stage Setting. Dramatization, 
by John Wenger. 

“Petrouchka,” Act. 1, Ballet by Stravinsky, Stage Setting Metro- 
politan Opera House, New York, 1919. 

Death and Transfiguration. Panel. 


Romeo and Juliet Scene. Sketch for Stage Setting, “Greenwich Vil- 
lage Follies 1922.” 


Motherhood. Screen. 

Still Life. Painting. 

Indian Love Lyrics. Sketch for Stage Setting, Rivoli Theatre, 
New York. 

“Petrouchka.” Portal Curtain. Ballet by Stravinsky. Metropol- 
itan Opera House, New York, 1919. 

Symphony. Panel. 
“Efficiency.” Sketch for Stage Setting for The One Act Play by 
R. H. Davis. Greenwich Village Theatre, New York. 
Rachmaninoff’s Prelude. Sketch for Stage Setting for Dramatization. 
“Child of the World,” by Peretz Hirschbein. Sketch for Stage 
Setting. Bertha Kalisch Production. Irving Place Theatre, 
New York. 

Montmartre Scene, “Ziegfeld Follies 1924.” Sketch for Stage Set- 
ting. New Amsterdam Theatre, New York. 

‘“Tannhauser,” Act. 1. Stage Setting. Capitol Theatre, New York. 

Romance. Panel. 

Elegy. Portal Curtain, Capitol Theatre, Vancouver, B. C. 

Decoration. Panel. 

Cupolas. Fantastic Decoration. 

Hymn. Panel. 

Southern Blues. Painting. 


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“The White Peacock.” Sketch for Stage Setting. Music by Charles 
Griffes. Choreography by Adolph Bolm. Rivoli Theatre, 
New York. 

“Enchantment,” Sketch for Stage Setting of Ballet. 

“Ed. Wynn’s Grab Bag.” Sketch for Stage Setting. Globe Theatre, 
New York. 


Prologue to “Carnival.” Sketch for Stage Setting, Capitol Theatre, 
New York. 


Winter Melody. Panel. 

“Tost Pleiad,” by Jane Dransfield. Sketch for Stage Setting, Lenox 
Little Theatre, New York. 

“The Poppy God,” Act III. Sketch for Stage Setting. Selwyn 
Production, Hudson Theatre, New York. 

Fantasie. Panel. 

“Great Music,” Act 1, by Martin Brown. Sketch for Stage Setting, 
George Backer Production, Earl Carrol Theatre, New York. 

Les Preludes. Panel Over Mantle. 

Ship of Hope. Screen Motif Used on Curtain at Capitol Theatre, 
Montreal, Canada. 

“Dance of the Hours,” Dramatization by John Wenger. Sketch 
for Stage Setting, Rivoli Theatre, New York. 

Samovar. Painting. 

Permanent Stage Setting. Capitol Theatre, New York. 

Scherzo. Panel Over Mantle. 

Portal Curtain. Capitol Theatre, New York. 

Concert Stage Setting for Pianist. Capitol Theatre, New York. 


Bimini Scene, “Ziegfeld Follies 1924,” Sketch for Stage Setting, New 
Amsterdam Theatre, New York. 


Russian Capella, Sketch for Stage Setting, Rivoli, New York. 

“Great Music,” Act III, by Martin Brown, Sketch for Stage Setting, 
George Backer Production, Earl Carrol Theatre, New York. 

Mi-Careme. Painting. 

Prologue to ‘Peter Pan,” Sketch for Stage Setting, Rivoli Theatre, 
New York. 

“Orientale” Sketch for Stage Setting, Capitol Theatre, New York 

Sketch for Motion Picture Theatre of the Future 

Finale. 


JOHN WENGER 


By CARLO de FORNARO 


is an apt and true description of the artist’s char- 
acteristics. 


M ASTER colorist, creator of pictorial symphonies,” 


But there is much more to John Wenger’s work than 
color; he is the lucky possessor of that supreme and rare 
gift, which can never be replaced by any amount of ability, 
cleverness or technical efficiency, and that is imagination or 
fantasy. For he can play on the whole scale of representa- 


tion, from the realistic to the fantastic, from the impression- 
7 


JOHN WENGER 


istic to the naturalistic, from the decorative to the photo- 
graphic, from the ideal to the grotesque, and he is ever, and 
always original;—a swirl in color and imagination, odd, 
never dull or commonplace. 

It is a curious and significant fact that since the advent 
of motion pictures, the stage settings in general have drifted 
away to a considerable extent from photographic reproduc- 
tions of scenes, and John Wenger, the most imaginative and 
colorful of scenic artists, has been one of the pioneers of the 
fantastic, suggestive decorations, scenic interludes, for the 
presentation of important films at motion picture theatres 
as well as independently in the drama, revues and vaudeville. 

For Wenger has a great advantage over the majority of 
scenic designers. He is first and foremost an artist who 
creates sets for the stage, who can paint as readily a portrait, 
a landscape, a seascape, a still life or a fantastic picture 


which appears as a dream from the fourth or astral dimen- 
sion. 


Within the scope of his theatrical work, he has brought 
his vision as a poet, his practical perspective of the veteran 
scenic designer, his thorough experience as an electrician 
in the play of the electric switchboard and slowly eliminated 


the cumbersome and expensive props. 
8 


JOHN WENGER 


Without Wenger’s innovations and revolutionary meth- 
ods no motion picture theatre would have been able to pre- 
sent tabloid scenes from the opera, ballets, pantomimes, 
since the ponderous, old-fashioned methods of the Italian 
or Wagnerian opera would have been prohibitive for the 
great expense and the loss of time. 

A while ago four or five condensed acts of the opera of 
Faust by Gounod were given by the Zuro Opera Company 
at the Rivoli Theatre. There was particularly one scene, 
the prison interior, which the antiquated scenic painters 
always represented as a perfect replica of the old dungeons, 
with the heavy stone walls, broad stone pillars, barred doors 
and windows. 

Wenger in this scene, placed instead a simple dark cur- 
tain in the background, some straw on the floor and hung a 
crossed frame high up to represent the barred window. The 
illusion conveyed was much more powerful and complete 
than in the old opera set. In this setting and the others he 
illustrated perfectly his extraordinary genius for elimina- 
tion and suggestion, and the motion picture public offered 


him a great and well deserved ovation. 


John Wenger likewise proved that the much abused and 


libeled motion picture public could understand and appre- 
9 


JOHN WENGER 


ciate artistic suggestions on the stage as readily and as keenly 
as the most responsive artists and intellectuals. 

Glancing over the list of theatres for which Wenger has 
designed sets one is struck forcibly by his extraordinary 
variety of expression. We do not know of any other artist 


who could have fulfilled so many engagements as readily, 
as satisfactorily and as successfully. 


Within the last decade, John Wenger has designed innu- 
merable settings for the drama, revues, pantomimes, dances, 
vaudeville and the motion picture houses. 

His work is always of the highest standard for he in- 
variably refuses to take hold of any engagement unless he 
can do his best according to his lights. He has successfully 
designed and presented sets for the monster stage of the 
Hippodrome, the most spacious one in the world, as well as 
for the many little theatres in America. 

Wenger’s talents are by no means confined to the theatre 
and scenic work. He has displayed a decided versatility in 
other fields, and his portraits, landscapes and still lifes have 
evoked the highest praise. He has exhibited at the National 


Academy, at the Pennsylvania Academy, the Architectural 


League, at the Chicago Art Institute, the Memorial Art 
10 


JOHN WENGER 


Gallery of Rochester and the Milwaukee Art Institute and 
other museums in America. He has held several “one man” 
shows in the various art galleries in New York, and each 
successive exhibit featured a clearly defined growth—a new 
development—of his maturing genius. 

Now as at the time of the great Italian renascence famous 
artists and decorators are being asked to design sets for the 
stage. Leonardo da Vinci, one of the giants of that period, 
sketched scenes for the stage for dukes, princes and kings 
and engineering plans for the shifting of heavy decorations 
by machinery. Michael Angelo is said to have designed 
the costumes for the Papal guards, who still wear them as 
cut from the ancient models. 

In our day well known artists like Roerich and Bakst 
have painted curtains and settings for the stage. We are 
beginning to discover, in America, that art and the stage are 
very closely related to each other. 

A famous artist who was asked once to give an account 
of his early life and struggles, answered proudly that only 
his work and not his life could be any concern to the public. 


This attitude although proud and aristocratic denotes either 


Luciferian modesty or a fear of ridicule. Unfortunately as 


soon as the artist exhibits and sells his works of art he ceases 
11 


JOHN WENGER 


to function as a private individual and becomes a public 
character, and cannot logically plead the same position as 
that of a private individual or a recluse. 


The artists are very rare whose works are so dramatic as 
to satisfy the admiration of the public, for it demands an 
account of the struggles, of the idiosyncracies of genius. A 
great deal of the fame of Gauguin, of Van Gough, is due to 
their dramatic lives, and who does not remember with de- 
light the adventures of Cellini, the loves of Rafael, Michael 
Angelo and Da Vinci? The artist’s life is seldom separated 
from his work, for both represent the cause and the effect. 


We can get a clearer understanding of Wenger’s work 
when we listen to the relation of his early life, his struggles, 
his gropings, his wanderings. The fact that he was born 
and brought up near Odessa in Russia means a great deal 
when we discover the passionate love of the Russian for the 
stage, for music and dancing. And this great love was ab- 
sorbed by Wenger as a child absorbs air and nourishment. 


Wenger’s father was, in Elizabethgrad near Odessa, a 
sort of all around painter and decorator who monopolized 
all such work, at times even painting the sets for the stroll- 
ing stock companies. | 


When other boys played in the street young Wenger 
hovered round the theatre, fascinated by the stage, the actors, 
the decorations, the work behind the scenes. 

12 


JOHN WENGER 


On his vacation the young man joined the stock com- 
pany just for the fun and the love of it, helping whenever 
he could or was allowed to; watching, listening to the actors, 
and the fine plays which were given by the company. They 
could not always afford to present new sets or change of 
sets. As for example in Hamlet one set had td do the work 
all through the play. And, strange to say, our modern ex- 
ponents of theatrical art reverted to this simplified decora- 
_ tion as happened in the case with the Hamlet played by John 
Barrymore. 

When we glance at the list of plays produced by these 
modest Russian stock companies we are at once surprised 
by the excellency of their repertory. They played the dramas 
of Tolstoy, Ibsen, Chekov, Dostoievsky , Gogol, Ostrowsky, 
Hauptman, Strindberg, Rostand, Dumas, Shakespeare and 
even Uncle Tom’s Cabin and The Two Orphans. 

The spirit of adventure drove John Wenger to America 
about eighteen years ago. By some freak of chance he 
drifted to Newark, this monster suburb of Gotham. There 
he worked assiduously for several years, designing clocks, 
interior decorations and jewelry. In Italy at the time of the 
renascence, a great majority of the artists began their ap- 
prenticeship in the shops of jewelers and silversmiths as did 
Cellini, Donatello, Brunnelleschi. 


JOHN WENGER 


But it appears that New York could not hide its fame 
under a bushel, fame as a center of art, literature and the 
stage. And so young Wenger packed his belongings and 
crossed the American Rubicon, the Hudson River, into 
New York. 

Like many ambitious art students, John Wenger har- 
bored. the illusion that he could study art and make a living 
working for the magazines. But he was very soon disillu- 
sioned by the criticism of his work by the magazine editors 
who demanded something less fantastic and more concrete. 
The Amer?can magazine public had not graduated from 
the ‘“‘pretty girl” stage and modernism in any form was 
frowned down upon as being too “highbrow” for its tastes. 

As his art matured and passed from the formative stage, 
his love for the theatre rekindled, and he cast about for a 
means of expression. He was offered the opportunity to 
become afhliated with a well known theatrical property 
studio, and Wenger immediately threw himself into his new 
work. Here at last was his chance to put into some measure 
of concrete form the ideas he had absorbed as a youngster 
back home among the travelling companies. 

One of the most valuable lessons taught him in his ex- 


periments was the great need for economy. And this sense 
14 


JOHN WENGER 


of frugality remained with Wenger, carrying it into his 
work at the scenic studio and becoming doubly valuable by 
reason of the tremendous savings he carried out. The 
studios, as was true of all theatrical shops at that time, 
achieved their effects through expensive and massive sets, 
cumbersome and unwieldy. Wenger’s innovations, although 
still somewhat immature, amazed them with their extreme 
simplicity of means. 

Without this vital apprenticeship all his fantastic dreams 
would have had no concrete and practical value and would 
have come to naught. So far John Wenger had drifted phil- 
osophically, carelessly but aimlessly like a true Bohemian, 
without family or ties except his parents, who were always 
ready to assist him in his efforts and help him out in his 
difficulties. 

His active mind had been searching for a method which 
would eliminate the expensive, lumbering scenes which had 
been considered necessary to give an illusion of life on the 
stage. 

One day John Wenger, as he was watching a child sit- 
ting in a hooded perambulator, covered by the protective 
gauze curtain, observed the play of the sunlight on the 


fabric which gave him suddenly the clue to the solution he 
15 


JOHN WENGER 


had been so persistently searching and which had been evad- 
ing him as an unattainable will-o’-the-wisp. 

With a few yards of the transparent gauze, some dyes 
and electric lights, he experimented feverishly and enthusi- 
astically, and finally evolved the effect which is now defin- 
itely stamped as Wenger’s (and which has been copied, in 
various forms, by many of his contemporaries). 

Models were prepared, using the gauzes in various 
forms, cycloramas built in miniature and the Folsom Gal- 


leries offered their Fifth Avenue studios to exhibit this latest 
phase of theatrical art. 

John Wenger and the Galleries were very enthusiastic 
about it, although it was a discouraging experiment, for the 
very people who should have been interested in such efforts, 
the theatrical producers, were quite conspicuous by their 
absence. 

Just as they were about to close the Galleries, two people 
entered to view a working of the models. It was Mrs. Bar- 
ker, the owner of the Greenwich Village Theatre, accom- 
panied by Mr. Frank Conroy, who empowered Wenger to 
design the first sets for the new Greenwich Village Theatre, 


which was going to be built in the near future. 
16 


JOHN WENGER 


Slowly, but surely, people became interested in his new 
idea. He made for the Greenwich Village Theatre sets for 
“Efficiency” of Robert H. Davis, “Ile” by Eugene O’Neil, 
“The Maid of France,” “Youth” and “The Big Scene” by 
Schnitzler. Then came the East and West Players, directed 
by Gustav Blum, for which he designed a number of pro- 
ductions, for as usual the little theatre and advanced theatri- 
cal organizations were ever ready to break away from the 
old fashioned commercial producers. Then followed the 
designing of settings for the Prince Igor, by Borodine, for 
the Boston Opera Company. 

In each of these he contributed his eerie ability to sum 
up, by intangible suggestion, the underlying motif of the 
play, harmonizing, by means of color and fluid form, the 
very spirit of the author’s and actor’s talent. He became 
definitely stamped with the newer school of the theatre, and 
his work was watched with sympathetic interest. 


It was about this time that Mr. S. L. Rothafel gave Wen- 


ger the opportunity that proved a turning point in the artist’s 
career. Mr. Rothafel, as managing director of the Rivoli 
and Rialto Theatres at that time, had been chafing at the 
restraint caused by the old fashioned and uninspired set- 
tings he was obliged to use at his theatres. He had heard of 


the enterprising group in the Village who were doing things 
17 


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JOHN WENGER 
worth while, and when Maurice Tourneur produced “The 
Blue Bird,” Mr. Rothafel called for Wenger and commis- 
sioned him to design a setting for the picture’s prologue for 
the Rivoli. 

That prologue setting, in the true Wenger vein, with 
gauzes of shimmering hues, ever changing with the move- 
ment of the veils, so impressed the director that he forth- 
with engaged the artist as art director, and Wenger’s happi- 
ness was complete. Here were two of the most modern 
theatres on Broadway, completely equipped with tremen- 
dous dimmer boxes, carrying every possible mechanical aid, 
electrical and otherwise, with which to further carry out his 
ideas. 

Two splendidly drilled orchestras under the skilled hand 
of Hugo Riesenfeld (who succeeded Mr. Rothafel when 
the latter became Director of Presentation at the Capitol 
Theatre), lent further inspiration, and the Rivoli became 
the pioneer in modern stage presentation. 

Wenger’s creations seemed unlimited. Every week he 
blossomed forth in newly inspired settings, ever varied, al- 
ways in key with the surrounding program, evoking fresh 
enthusiasm and praise. Daring were the experiments and 
daring the results. The vast motion picture public attend- 


18 


JOHN WENGER 


ing the Rivoli embraced the new tendency in scenic pro- 
duction as eagerly as they applauded every new phase of 
the development of the picture itself. Wenger’s work be- 
came the talk of exhibitors everywhere, and they flocked to 
New York to see what “Roxy” was doing with his new art 
director. 

Then the Capitol was built. “The largest theatre in the 
world” it was called, with its five thousand seats and over, 
and Wenger was called to this newest playhouse to carry on 
his work. With even greater facilities, a much larger stage, 
Wenger was seized with fresh inspiration, and his work 
grew in scope. 

Tabloid operas were produced, with numerous changes 
of scenery, each opera virtually a production in itself, in 
magnitude oft exceeding that of many of the regular Broad- 
way productions. And untiringly, week after week, with 
his inexhaustible store of scenic lore, freshly inspired, never 
repeating himself, Wenger carried on, offering something 
new to the thousands of visitors to this newest enterprise of 
the shadow world. 

The ‘“‘Peer Gynt” suite, Prince Igor, the White Peacock, 
Danse Macabre,—Tschaikowsky, Borodine, Saint Saens, 


Griffes—the great luminaries of the musical world, past and 
19 


JOHN WENGER 


present, had their offerings enhanced by the sympathetic 
treatment of Wenger’s art. 

More than any one man, John Wenger has raised the 
artistic standards of motion picture presentation. 

It had been the rule that when an artist or an author had 
made his mark on the stage or in art and literature, that 
the motion picture fraternity at the tail end of a reputation 
exploited it in their own field. But in this instance they stole 
a march and gained a great victory and a reputation for dis- 
cernment of which nobody had ever accused them. 

The artist’s successes at these theatres caught the eye of 
the Metropolitan Opera House officials, and he was com- 
missioned to design the settings for ““Petrouschka,” Stravin- 
sky’s poignant ballet, in which Adolf Bolm depicted the un- 
fortunate Blackamoor. 

The fame of John Wenger spread to other theatres and 
dramatic producers came to him for ideas and suggestions. 
“The Poppy God,” George White’s “Scandals of 1922,” Ed 
Wynn’s “Grab Bag 1924” and the Ziegfeld “Follies of 1924” 
followed in rapid succession, with Wenger’s highly original 
and sometimes daring settings striking a distinct keynote 


and evoking much praise. 
20 


JOHN WENGER 


Shortly afterwards, Mr. Wenger was called upon to de- 
sign, the settings for Martin Brown’s extremely interesting 
experiment, combining a musical theme with a drama called 
“Great Music,” which was produced at the Earl Carroll 
Theatre by George Backer. 

As we have observed before, Wenger, besides having a 
very sensitive retina, absorbed from the Russians an over- 
powering love for music. Josef Hoffman told me once that 
in his travels all over the world, he had come to the conclu- 
sion that the two races or nations which possessed the great- 
est love and appreciation of music were the Russians and 
the Mexicans. 

It was the understanding and feeling for music which 
contributed to Wenger’s success at the Rivoli and Capitol, 
for there the background for the presentation of film was 
music. For thousands of years humanity has been used to 
hearing noise or voices or music accompany action of any 
kind. Color did not matter so much as a great percentage 


of human beings is either partially or totally color blind. 
As soon as the film was exhibited instinctively the producers 
sensed that no matter how lavish or exciting the picture, how 
explicit the titles, the majority would miss the sound, no 


matter in what manner produced. Music was therefore the 
21 


JOHN WENGER 


logical complementary. Then followed classical music 
programs, dances, pantomime and tabloid operas. The old 
fashioned sets would not have permitted the quick changes 
necessary and the expense would have been prohibitive. 


John Wenger, with his simplified scheme, saved thou- 
sands of dollars to the movie theatres, to the revues, the mus- 
ical comedies and the drama. To the excellent musical 
numbers he added the beauty of color and decoration. which 
is so badly and incomprehensibly lacking in the usual sym- 
phonic concerts. Carl von Vechten wrote a most interest- 
ing chapter on the subject in his book “Red,” declaring that 
the symphonic organizations take a leaf out of the musical 
presentation from the great motion picture theatres like the 
Capitol, Rivoli and Rialto. 


Indeed, Wenger experimented even in that field, and at 
Carnegie Hall he designed an atmospheric stage setting for 
a song recital which blended perfectly with the nature of 
the performance and enhanced it immeasurably. It was the 
first time that that feature of a musical recital was given 
attention, in place of the conventional, funereal drapes 
which always had been used, and no little comment was the 
result. The artist’s settings, so essentially fluid and kaleide- 


scopic, are ideally suited as a musical background, and it is 
22 


JOHN WENGER 
only a matter of time when that neglected feature will be 
given as much attention as the selection of music. 

Wenger illustrated the idea perfectly at one of the per- 
formances of a dramatic musical number. The orchestra 
began playing with a darkened auditorium and as the tempo 
increased he slowly switched some delicate tints with elec- 
tric lights intensifying their flow with the growing volume 
of sound and when the orchestra crashed the finale, the 
house was practically flooded with light. The effect was 
sensational. The colored lights, with their exquisite vibra- 
tions, doubled the dramatic value and intensity of the music. 

Wenger’s idea found a host of imitators in the largest 
as well as the smallest theatres, not only in New York, but 
all over the country. 

Mr. N. L. Nathanson, of the Famous Players Canadian 
Corporation, sent him on a tour across the continent, from 
the Atlantic to the Pacific coast and all over the Canadian 
continent, to install settings with his own background and 
artistic ideas. 

In other words, the dream, which began with a tiny 
model cyclorama at the Folsom Galleries, blossomed out 
into a reality in innumerable theatres from ocean to ocean. 


Even England is clamoring for his assistance and advice. 
23 


JOHN WENGER 


The materials used in attaining Wenger’s scenic effects 
are so simple: a bit of chiffon, a ray of colored light, an un- 
ostentatious prop or two, that his imitators have been many. 
But with genius lacking, without the uncanny ability to 
blend color into harmonious groupings of fluid expression, 
without the daring that is ever present in Wenger’s work, 
these materials remain bits of clay, unanimated and unin- 
spired. 


The scenic artists of the past generation are already dead 
and forgotten, for theatrical art is a very elusive, imperma- 
nent creation, but we can safely assert that Wenger’s work 
will live in his sketches, his paintings and his decorations. 
It is Wenger’s intention to publish a book which will give 
his idea of the future theatre, not only from the artistic, 
scenic side, but from the constructive, architectural, engi- 
neering angle. The plans are most interesting, original 
and practical; the backer who will build it will revolution- 
ize the theatre of the future. 


24 ~ 2 


CARNIVAL Panel 


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PLATE 2. Opening Scene of “GEORGE WHITE’S SCANDALS 1922,” 


Sketch for Stage Setting, Globe Theatre, New York. 


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PLATE 5. DANCE MACABRE, by C. Saint-Saens, Stage Setting, Dramatization by John Wenger. 


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PLATE 6. “PETROUCHKA” Act. 1, Ballet by Stravinsky, Stage Setting 


Metropolitan Opera House, New York, 1910. 


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PLATE 7. DEAT'H and TRANSFIGURATION Panel, 


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PLATE 9. MOTHERHOOD, Screen. 


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PLATE 10. STILL LIFE. Painting. 


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PLATE 11. INDIAN LOVE LYRICS. Sketch for Stage Setting, Rivoli Theatre, New York. 


PLATE 12. “PETROUCHKA,” Portal Curtain, Ballet by Stravinsky, 
Metropolitan Opera House, New York, 1919. 


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Panel. 


SYMPHONY 


PLATE 13. 


PLATE 14. “EFFICIENCY,” Sketch for Stage Setting for The One Act Play 
by R. H. Davis, Greenwich Village Theatre, New York. 


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PLATE 15. RACHMANINOFF’S PRELUDE. Sketch for Stage Setting for Dramatization. 


PLATE 16. “CHILD OF THE WORLD” by Peretz Hirschbein, Sketch for Stage Setting, 
Bertha Kalisch Production, Irving Place Theatre, New York. 


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PLATE 17. Montmartre Scene, “ZIEGFELD FOLLIES 1924,” Sketch for Stage Setting, 


New Amsterdam Theatre, New York. 


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PLATE 18. “TANNHAUSER,.”’ Act. 1. Stage Setting, Capitol Theatre, New York. 


7 
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PLATE 19. ROMANCE. Panel. 


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Vancouver, 


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l Theatre 


Capito 


I 


Portal Curtain 


ELEGY 


PLATE 20, 


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ore 


Panel. 


ECORATION. 


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PEAT iy2 i 


PLATE 22. CUPOLAS. Fantastic Decoration. 


Panel, 


HYMN. 


PLATE 23. 


SOUTHERN BLUES Painting. 


24. 


PLATE 


Praia! 


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PLATE 25. “THE WHITE PEACOCK,” — Sketch for Stage Setting, Music by Charles Griffes. 


Choreography by Adolph Bolm, Rivoli Theatre, New York. 


am 


PLATE 26. “ENCHANTMENT” Sketch for Stage Setting of Ballet, 


PLATE 27. “ED. WYNN’S GRAB BAG.” Sketch for Stage Setting, Globe Theatre, New York. 


Ve 


PLATE 28. Prologue to “CARNIVAL” Sketch for Stage Setting, Capitol Theatre, New York. 


nee 


WINTER MELODY. Panel. 


PLATE 2y. 


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PLATE 30. “LOST PLEIAD’ by Jane Dransfield, Sketch for Stage Setting, 


Lenox Little Theatre, New York. 


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28 


Peas, “THE POPPY GOD,” Act ILI. 


Sketch for Stage Setting, Selwyn Production, 
Hudson Theatre, New York, 


Panel, 


PLATE 32. FANTASIE. 


PLATE 33. “GREAT MUSIC,” Act 1, by Martin Brown, Sketch for Stage Setting, George 


Backer Production, Earl Carrol Theatre, New York. 


haan 


PLATE 34. LES PRELUDES. Panel Over Manile. 


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PLATE 35. SHIP OF HOPE 


PLATE 36. “DANCE OF THE HOURS,” Dramatization by John Wenger, 
Sketch for Stage Setting, Rivoli Theatre, New York. 


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. 


PLATE 37. SAMOVAR. Painting. 


New York. 


2 
, 


atreé 


2 


The 


apitol 


C 


MANENT STAGE SETTING, 


PER 


ATE 38. 


PL 


PLATE 39. SCHERZO. Panel Over Mantle. 


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PLATE 40. PORTAL CURTAIN, Capitol Theatre, New York. 


PLATE 41. CONCERT STAGE SETTING for PIANIST Capitol Theatre, New York. 


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PLATE 42. Bimini Scene, “ZIEGFELD FOLLIES, 1924,” Sketch for Stage Setting, 


New Amsterdam Theatre, New York. 


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PEALE 43. RUSSIAN CAPELLA, Sketch for Stage Setting, Rivoli, New York. 


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=i 


PLATE 44. “GREAT MUSIC,” Act III, by Martin Brown, Sketch for Stage Setting, 


George Backer Production, Earl Carrol Theatre, New York. 


Painting. 


-CAREME. 


MI 


PLATE 45. 


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PLATE 46. Prologue to “PETER PAN,” Sketch for Stage Setting, Rivoli Theatre, New York. 


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PLATE 47. “ORIENTALE” Sketch for Stage Setting, Capitol Theatre, New York. 


PLATE 48. 


Sketch for MOTION 


awe 7 


PICTURE 


ence RR are: 


THEATRE 


of 


the 


FUTURE 


ae 


FINALE. 


PLATE 49. 


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5. 


GETTY CENTER LIBRARY 


“LATA 


‘; Ss Oc 22 
Nd AAS 


